Process of making boots and shoes



Patented June 26, 192s HUNQITED "STATES BENJAMIN -W. FREEMAN, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO,'AS SIGNOR TO THE LOUIS G. FREEMAN COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A- CORPORATION OE OHIO.

rnoonss or MAKING BOOTS AND s'frons.

No'iDrawi-ng.

My present invention is a novel and improved process for use in the manufacture of boots and shoes having cut-out uppers.

In the present manufacture of shoes, particularly ladies low cut shoes, pumps,

slippers or the like, recent designs in these shoeshave necessitated'the cutting out of considerableportions of the vamp, quarters, 'or other parts of upper, leaving various strap portions, thus constituting an open- 2 in a substantially flat position, and before the upper portions were attached .or united into the shoe upper with linings. Such prior method was necessarily slow and expensive, requiring repeated handlings and skilled operators, and also being very difficultto unite accurately and properly after thus cut out. Furthermore, this work, prior to the invention of B. B. Brodfuehrer, Patent No. 1,605,916, granted April 13, 1926, necessitated the" leaving of the lining solid and subsequent cutting out by hand, or the simple marking of the cutout portionsand then cuttin out by hand, a tedious, expen- ,sive and di cult proceeding, as well as one and such difficulties. .With the said invention of BB. Brodfuehrer comprising the feature of applying to the shoe upper-areinforcing, either removably' or permanently retained in the shoe, about the cut-out portions, however, it became possible to cut out completely the upper and lining, then reinforce the same to preserve intact the cutout portions during lasting, and thus 4 to make a complete, better fitting shoe, and

with thea'dvantages of cutting out the openwork sections by machine, instead of by hand after the shoe was otherwise com-' pleted. i

I have discovered the present process, which still further improvesthe methods of manufacturingthis openwork or cut out shoe construction, wherein I amenabled to attach the entire shoe upper, stltchlng the.

resulting in poor work, lack of uniformity.

Application filed November 27, 1923. Serial No. 677,319. r

'vamp, quarters, tip, etc., together, as well as attaching the shoe at the rear seam, thus making a complete, closed and fitted upper, exactly as 'is now done to complete the upper materials before assembling on a last Thereupon by means preferably of the machine shown in my copending application, Ser. No." 678,213, filed December 3, 1923, I

PATENT 7 OFFICE. Y

cutout the openwork portions of the upper after- .it is thus stitched, united and ready for assembling on a last, thereby maintaining the stitching, attachment of upper sec 1 tion, etc., in. proper alinement and with correct design, and then with the upper thus far completed, cutting out the openwork sec- I tions by a machine operation instantly and with the parts to be cut out heldflat and preferably under tension, to insure accurate and perfect alinement and uniformity in the cutting out-operation. This is a distinct novelty in this art, and my process I believe to be distinctly new, and I claim the same.

broadly herein.

The importance of this invention willbe appreciated when the difficulty of cutting -out ona flat surface, a sheet of material,

such as that comprised in the shoe upper, which material, is out upon rounding'lines, andparticularly when it is realizedthat my process contemplates the holding and cutting of a predetermined portion ofsu'ch shoe upper after it is united into therounding contour of a closed or completely fitted upper. Furthermore the advantages of performing this cutting out portion after the upper is otherwise assembled will also be appreciated, as the lines of the shoe upper are thus enabled to be determined by the shoe stitching operations uniting same, and along e desired and designed lines of attachme t, which latter is extremely diflicult when the sections are first out out because of the liability of distortion of the-cut out 1 portions, particularly where only narrow and numerous straps are left in this part of "the shoe, the mere feedingof the shoe stra portions through the stitching machine ten ing constantly to distortion of the shoe this openwork portion afterthe shoe upper is entirely stitched together, both at the vamp and heel ,a method heretofore coni I wish to claim this method also herein.

In carrying out my process, I prefer to employ the machine illustrated in my said copending application, referenceto which is hereby made; My process is, I believe,

equally applicable to any design of openwork or cut out shoeiuppers, irrespective of I its intricacy, and irrespective of the portion or portions to be cut, out, whether on the quarters, vamp, ton ue, foxings or otherwise. I can, therefore, utilize the process in any design desired, and with cut-out toe 2,, portions, cut-out quarters, cut-out vamps or other section of the shoe. I In carrying out my process I utilize the patterns for any shoe structure, and first stitch or unite these patterns together, in their solid and uncut state, thus following the presentv day established methods and with the well known stitching machines used in modern shoe factory production. The shoe upper and lining thus united and preferably with the 3o vamp, toe portions and uarters all stitched together, presenting at t is stage of manufacture the curved contour, of a shoe upper adapted to fit upon a last, is then ready for a novel step' of mypresent invention.

stitch the shoe upper as thus far united tm gether at the .heel, thus forming a completey closedshoe upper and in substantially its completed contour for last assembling. 40 Heretofore the openwork sections would have had to be cut out while flat, and then united, as Well as an operator could stitch them when making openwork shoe uppers. With the upper materials thus stitched and united, Ithen provide a cutting anvil or out ting die, having provision to form or cut the desired openwork design. Thereupon 1 subject the shoe upper to a suitable support to cooperate with said'cutting anvil or die,

w and preferably said support permits the cooperation of the cutting anvil and any co-v operating pressure device vwith means for relative movement to efiectthe cutting out ofthe completed u per by said cutting an- I vil, preferably as s own in my said copending application Ser. No. 678,213. Thereupon the upper materials-both outer, upper and lining having the cut out portions thus formed therein, are then subjected tothe reinforcing process of the said Brodfuehrer application, Ser. No. 670,865, thus reinforcing the openwork portion to permit lasting without distorting said openwork portion or portions. .Thenthe shoe materials are assembled on a last and either welt,

Fur a /thermore I can and even preferably do,

McKay or turn shoe operations performed to complete the shoe.

Thus I am enabled, by my present process, to manufacture a shoe with openwork portion orportions, and formed at any part, and with perfect uniformity, clean, clear cutting entirely through the upper and lining, irrespective of the material, whether leather, satin, suede or other desired material, in exact alinement and furthermore with the advantage of cooperating designs, when these are desired, in vamp, in quarter, tip or the like,-first uniting'the upper without danger of distorting, then cutting completely, and then reinforcing for lasting, to prevent distortion, and all this bysimple, established and economical operations, and with the shoe machines now employed, together with the simple addition of my said machine, Ser. No. 678,213.

While it is usually desirable, after the openwork portion has been cut out, to then stitch and upper and lining together, along' the remaining straplportions, edges, and the like, yet it is equa y feasible to cement or on paste the two p'lortions together, thus unitin them. By eit er proce ure the upper an lining portions are first assembled and stitched as above explained, prior to being operated-on for the openwork formation,,o5 and in case it is desired to cement the remaining strap portions, I may provide on the cutting anvil or machine device, means to both out out the openwork portions, and also to indent or form an imitation stitch roll on the remaining strap portions. This latter feature is not 11 I in case the upper and lining are subsequent y stitched together around the openwork cut out portions, but is desirable where cementingis utilized.

Furthermore, while my process includes the cutting out simultaneously of the assembled upperleather and its lining, and preferably performing this operation on the shoe upper after it is stitched, or cemented no and closed at the heel as a complete fi upper, ready for assembling on the last, and elther with or without the reinforcitiggf at the cut out portion, it will be apprecia that each and every portion of the design need not necessarily be thus completely out out. In very intricate forms, I may apply the complete cutting out action to a portion ofthe design, leaving the rest or some minor details to be subsequently cut out. In any 6 event the simultoneous cuttin and removmg of upper and lining in manu acturing shoes with the new and modern type of cut out designs, many of such designs being highly intricatesnd leaving narrow straps or strips and delicate interlacings, by the cutting out action of a machine as distin bed from the old hand and knife metho carries out my invention, even though the entire is not thus' completely out out.

I My invention is further described and or shoes having openwork portions in the upper materials, which conslsts in preparing the upper materials, securing them together, uniting the upper materials into a closed unit, then cutting out the openwork portions by cutting entirely through u per and lining materials,.applying a reinibrcing to the cut-out portions, then assembling the reinforced and cut-out materials on a last, and completing the shoe.

2. The improved process of manufacturing footwear having openwork upper portions, which consists in uniting the materials forming the upper into a closed upper ready for assembling on a last, then cutting out predetermined openwork ,portions' simultaneously, then reinforcing the cut-out portions by removable strengthening material, and then assembling the reinforced cut-out upper on a last and completing the shoe.

3. The improved process of making boots or shoes having cut-out portions in the upper and lining materials, which comprises first assembling the upper materials into the form of a fitted shoe upper, uniting such upper to the lining, then cutting out the design, and then adding reinforcing material, applied over the cut-out portions,

thus preparing the upper and lining as a fitted upper for assembling on a last.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification BENJ. W. FREEMAN. 

